Mercedes' Beat
by Wickedchick825
Summary: When one diary entry falls into the wrong hands, who knows what will happen. A love story between Puck and Mercedes!
1. Chapter 1

02:03

_Dear Diary,_

_Today, he actually glanced my way. I don't just mean that I was in his line of sight as he talked to another guy!! He actually, factually, looked in my direction. When those big copper eyes caught my attention, I nearly melted on the floor. I'm not surprised he didn't feel it too, the love connection between our souls! What am I saying?! Diary, I must sound like a raving lunatic, its obvious I'm just in a mild state of delirium. But...what if he does like me?_

Mercedes sighed, brushing her ebony bangs out of her eyes, wondering what to write next. So many emotions were welling up inside her spirit right now. It was frustrating just trying to figure out where to begin! _Breathe Mercedes, it's just a diary! Say what whatever you feel and just let the words flow out onto paper. _ But, how should she go about saying that. "Ugh, I can't write like this!" Throwing the diary across the room, she watched it flop in a bean-bag chair piled on with textbooks and CDs. "Why is it so hard to just say how I feel?! I mean, its not like I'm speaking it aloud. I...ugh!" Flopping down on her bed, Mercedes glanced upward at the ceiling. Fluttering her eyes shut, she tried to form the pictures in her head, rather than try to put them onto paper.

_There I am, 4__th__ period just ended, I burst out of biology and headed for my locker. Outside Tina was waiting for me and starting asking me what songs we were singing for Regionals. Okay, so I started to answer her, when...he, walked by. Puck, wearing his bright red football jacket that almost seem to make his biceps bulge out of their skin, was approaching Quinn, who seemed awfully quiet and introverted today. But, right now he looks my way, and I think our eyes may have made contact for a split second! Ahhhh!_

After reliving this morning's jubilation, Mercedes realized it was 11:47, an aggravated sigh escaped her lips. "Seriously? Eleven fourty seven?! Crap, I still have all my history homework to do!" Why were teachers constantly ragging on her to complete homework and ace tests and all that ridiculous nonsense? She was Mercedes Jones, she was going to be the next Beyonce, Beyonce doesn't do quadratic equations or study the Revolutionary War. Beyonce buys stylish shoes and attends movie premiers. _Whatever, just two more years and this little bird is leaving the nest for bigger and better things. _Grabbing her homework, she began to copy down notes on the Revolution, until she noticed she had etched "P+M" into her notes, in Sharpie, on notes she had to turn in tomorrow. "How the hell did this Sharpie get over here?!" It took a moment to scribble out, but it took the entire night to get the thought of her mind, what if they really did end up together?

XXXXX

"And step and turn and kick step..." Mr. Schuester's voice almost seemed to boom against the walls of the choir room. Nobody seemed to be paying him any mind; the club mostly milled about and discussed the latest gossip. The biggest rumor seemed to be about Kurt being Quinn's baby daddy. Mercedes wanted to double over in laughter and let the tears of hilarity drip down her face. Kurt? A father? There was no way in heck Quinn would even let Kurt anywhere near her. "Guys, Regionals are in two weeks! We can't stop rehearsing now. Do you want to lose to that school for the deaf or do you want to win? Now get up here!" A unanimous groan arose from the crowd, but everyone reluctantly stepped up and began to copy Mister Schuester's choreography.

"Okay, now turn turn turn and stomp. Good, right?" Mercedes tried her best to concentrate, but all she could focus on was the fact that Puck was standing directly behind her. As if it were on fire, her face flashed bright red, brighter than inferno. Tina noticed the spectacle and whispered, "Are you okay? Your face is t-t-t-tinted red!" "Yeah, just um...a little hot, that's all. Its all good!" A smile flashed across her face, though it was slightly forced. "Mercedes, focus! Now remember, turn turn turn and stomp. From the top! 5-6-7-8!"

The number seemed to be good enough, in her opinion. Everyone was syncopated, there didn't seem to be a weakest link in the group. _Maybe we have a shot at winning this year! _Just when it all seemed perfect, she tumbled. It was that "turn turn turn and stomp" that caught her off balance, making her let out a scream. Her eyes pinched shut, braced for the impact of the fall, but it never came. "Mercedes, are you alright?" Her eyes cracked open, she was in Puck's arms. His copper eyes were wide with fear, he seemed to be scanning her body for any sign of injury. _He...he caught me. _


	2. Slipped Away

**AN: Yes, this chapter has been edited and put up...twice. It was brought to my attention just how many mistakes I made and I needed to fix them. XD Curse you Microsoft Word!! Haha, anyway, for those of you who haven't read it: Enjoy!**

Mercedes' face flushed furiously as she noticed the entire class was now staring at her. _He...he caught me. _Her milk-chocolate eyes looked into his, afraid he would suddenly gag at the thought of helping a "nobody" and just drop her on the floor. But...he didn't. Puck held a worried expression in his eyes, he kept repeating, "Mercedes? Are you all right? Mercedes?" A smile spread across her face, and this time it wasn't forced. "Yeah, I'm alright." He steadied her to her feet, "Thanks." Mr. Schuester just sighed and impatiently tapped his foot, growing antsy with each tick of the clock. "Come on guys, no time to stumble and make mistakes. We have work to do. Take it from the top, 5-6-7-8!"

After what felt like perpetuity, the bell began to ring and Mercedes' burst out the door. She couldn't contain herself; it was as if a lightning bolt of jubilation had been shot through her spine. _ He didn't drop me! He might actually care about me! _Though it wasn't allowed in the hallways, Mercedes' felt like screaming, screaming and jumping for joy. Just before she turned the corner, Rachel stood speechless with a puzzled look on her face. "Tina, why is Mercedes' so happy all of a sudden? Just this morning she was down because she had forgotten her biology homework." Tina stood there, wondering exactly how much information to give away without letting Rachel understand everything. _Rachel always overreacts and causes a scene when she finds out something shocking. Maybe if I tell her just a little... _"Umm, I don't-t-t know anything. Bye Rachel!" As if she speed of a stallion had been injected into her legs, Tina dashed down the hall after Mercedes. Still stunned over the awkwardness of the situation, Rachel just walked away and muttered, "What has gotten into this school?"

_Dear Diary,_

_He caught me! I mean, I didn't purposely trip myself so I could test him. How could you ever suspect me of that Diary? ;) Haha, but back to the story! So at Glee practice today, Mr. Schuester was babbling on about these dance moves, when I realized __he__ was behind me. That's right, I almost froze in place and felt the hair on my neck stand on end. Do I ever have hair on the back of my neck? I dunno, but if I did, it would stand on end! So then I started dancing, and tripped over my feet. It wouldn't have been a big deal, except that I screamed and almost flopped on the floor. But, here's the best part, __he__ caught me! It was almost like a fairy tale, when the princess is swooped of her feet by the dashing prince. If I were a princess, prince Puck would sweep me off my feet and say, "Princess Mercedes, I have always loved you, you are my everyth-_

Tina poked her head around the corner, trying to figure out where Mercedes had disappeared to. It took a few minutes, but she found Mercedes sitting in a stairwell writing in a beaten up notebook of sorts. "T-t-there you are! Why did you run off like t-t-that?" Mercedes' nearly fell of the stairs at the sound of her name, she shot up her hand and the pen went flying down the hall. "Sorry, I just...needed to get some writing done." Crossing her arms, Tina scoffed, "Was t-t-this about 'you know who'?" Hugging the notebook close to her chest, Mercedes suddenly became very protective of her writings. "Its none of your business. And no, it wasn't about you know who." A late bell began to sound off, Mercedes gathered her belongings and tried to escape the borage of questions from Tina, dropping the notebook on the ground. "Mercedes! You dropped this!" When she picked it up, Tina noticed the binding was flimsy, pages were ready to fall out, hanging by a delicate thread. "Thanks, I'll catch you later." _Thank God Tina picked this up...if this fell into the wrong hands, who knows what would happen. _Unbeknownst to her, a single page slipped out of the diary as she sped down the hall, landing at the feet of a familiar friend. Picking up the entry, the friend just smiled and murmured, "Interesting..."


	3. Juicy

Puck just couldn't seem to keep his mind on the game, even through all the screams of what "a spineless jellyfish" he was from Coach Tenkaka. _Jeez, does he ever just shut up? _Well, maybe coach had a point, he wasn't usually this distracted. All he could focus on was how lovely Mercedes' eyes were, something he had never taken note of. _They're like round pieces of milk chocolate, so sweet and innocent. _What was he saying? Puck was a jock; self-centered, superior, witty, and got whatever girl he wanted. Never in his high-school career had he even focused on anything but a girl's tits or ass, so what made Mercedes' eyes so different? "Dude, Puck, get over here! Huddle up!" Finn's voice snapped Puck back into reality, it was like a kick in the stomach saying, "Stop thinking about girls and get your head in the game." A sigh escaped his lips; it was as if her face was permanently welded into his brain, that brilliant smile with the milk-chocolate eyes. _Maybe I can get to know her better..._

XXXXXX

Walking home that afternoon, Mercedes noticed there was an extra skip in her step. Nothing could seem to bring this day down, as if the stars had aligned in impeccable formation just so that her life wasn't a total mess. She began to hum "Walking on Sunshine" as she enjoyed the beauty of the afternoon. The sky was a cerulean blue with splotches of white scattered throughout the span of visibility. Leaves of trees were gently fading to crimson reds and vivid oranges, with the occasional leaf fluttering to the ground. Before she knew it, her front door was an inch away from her face, as if all time had just passed by her in a blur. "Mom? You home?" It appeared from the slight echo through the halls that her mother was out grocery shopping or something of that sort. "Whatever, its diary time!"

After dropping her backpack down into her beanbag chair, Mercedes flopped onto her bed and turned to the newest page of her diary. _Dear Diary, Absolutely nothing can bring this day down. And I mean nothing...even a typhoon or a sudden volcano explosion! Well, I know I mentioned this earlier, but Puck actually caught me when I fell. And when I lay there in his arms, our eyes locked for moment, as if he felt what I was feeling. This may sound strange, but it was almost as if he was examining my eyes, noticing something he hadn't noticed before. :) I picture him as my knight in shining armor who comes to sweep the princess off her feet. Did I already use that analogy?_

Mercedes flipped back to see if she had indeed used that earlier today, but she couldn't seem to find the entry. _It has to be there, it's the most recent! _Her heart plummeted into her stomach as she realized the entry wasn't in the diary at all. She dove for her backpack and tore through it, tears brimming in her eyes. "Oh my god, if someone at school found it, I'm as good as dead!" Even after throwing textbooks across the room and dumping out the contents of her book bag, the entry was nowhere to be found. "Where is it?! Where is it?!"

XXXXXX

[glitzandglamour825]5:15- Rachel? Rachel are you on?

[broadwaybound]5:17- Yeah, Kurt. But make it quick. I'm in the middle of practicing that new routine Mr. Schuester taught us. We can't win unless we do our best. ;)

[glitzandglamour825]5:18- Oh this will be quick. Remember Glee when Mercedes was acting so funny?

[broadwaybound]5:18-OMG yes! What was that all about? She was running down the hall and squealing... :/

[glitzandglamour825]5:19-Let's just say that I found a certain piece of paper in the hallway this afternoon that may clear things up.

[broadwaybound]5:20-NO WAY!! Type it up!!

[glitzandglamour825]5:21-I'll just call you. Let's just say...its juicy.

[broadwaybound]5:21-Score! Talk to you in a few, Kurt!

_broadwaybound has gone offline..._

_glitzandglamour825 has gone offline..._


	4. Partners

Mercedes scanned the hall for any sign of her missing paper, her eyes almost seemed glued to the floor. _I'm sure nobody picked it up, why would anyone pick up a piece of paper with the title "Dear Diary..." _Nothing seemed to pop out at her, her hope was swiftly fleeting. _Did I put my name on the entry? _It took her a moment, but she shuddered at the recollection of the words on the paper:_ If I was a princess, Prince Puck would sweep me off my feet and say, "Princess Mercedes, I have always loved you..."_ "Oh god...no no no no no!" She wanted to lock herself in the nearest bathroom stall and weep till it hurt, something she rarely ever did. _Look, just breathe, get your books from your locker, and head off to class. _After putting in the combination and opening her locker, Mercedes noticed a crumpled up slip of paper had fallen at her feet. "Huh?" She dropped her books in her locker and carefully opened the slip. _I know your secret... _

Her eyes cautiously peered around, checking to see if anyone was watching her. _Oh my god this is bad, very, very bad! _This meant that someone knew about her diary entry, that someone had read her innermost thoughts, that her life was now entering the downward spiral. _No one can know about this, don't say anything Mercedes! _It took a minute to stop the chills from running down her spine, but eventually she gathered her belongings and dashed off to Current Affairs. _If I ever find out who read my diary, they are going to pay! _

XXXXXX

"Finally," she murmured, "Its time for Glee." At least now she wouldn't have to glance around the room and try to see if anyone knew her secret. It calmed her to know that she could trust the kids in Glee, they were like a family to her. Each person supported the members of the group, through the best and the worst of times. The students began to file in, most either gossiping or just coming in silent as a church mouse. Rachel seemed especially chipper, like she had had one too many cups of coffee this morning. She plopped her stuff down next to Mercedes and nearly giggled, "Good morning!" Mercedes shifted uncomfortably in her place, Rachel was usually a ball of sunshine, but never this sun-shiney. "Umm...hi. Are you feeling alright?" Before the words rolled off her tongue, Puck walked through the door. He looked almost lost, like he was seeking something he couldn't find. Rachel nearly jumped out of her seat and cried, "Oops, I forgot to um...tell Tina the math homework. I'll be right back."

Puck noticed Rachel scurry across the room, wondering what kind of happy pills she had put in her water this morning. But that didn't matter, what did matter is that there was an empty seat right next to Mercedes. He sauntered over and in his politest voice he asked, "Hey, mind if I sit here?" Puck held back a grin as he watched her face turn bright red, almost the color of pure crimson. "Oh yeah, sure." Seating himself down, he noticed that Mercedes had dimples when she smiled, it was absolutely adorable. _Or maybe its just something that I look for in a girl...snap out of it Puck! _

Just then Mr. Schuester walked in with a folder brimming with sheets of music. "Guys, today we're going to be working on a new number, suggested by Kurt and Rachel. Its a little different, but does 'Never Say Never' by The Fray sound good?" Almost instantaneously a wave of squeals and high-fives of enthusiasm rose from the group. "Well, then let's try it out. This is going to be a partner's song, so let's all try and match up with someone. And this time, try to switch it up a little, someone you rarely work with." Rachel flashed a smile at Finn, but winked at Kurt, as if she had some devious plan behind those hazel eyes.

Mercedes looked around for whom to partner with, there were so few options with guys in this class. Puck was going to pair with one of the Cheerios, Finn was with Rachel, Artie was with Tina, and the other guys who's names escaped her would fight over "why do I have to get paired with the dorky chick?" She held back a sigh and quietly sat in her seat, just anticipating an argument over her to break out. "Hey, Mercedes..." It was a timid voice from behind her, hesitant but persistent, she glanced around to expect an unfamiliar face, but her jaw nearly dropped. It was Puck! "Do you um, want to be my partner?"


	5. Stars

**AN: Sorry its taken so long to get up, been busy with school. I tried to incorporate a few things from the previous two episodes into this chapter, try and spot them :) They may not play out yet, but you'll see!**

Mercedes nearly fainted at the sound of his voice, directed at her, as if it longed for her. "So, do you?" He repeated it again, just incase she hadn't heard his call. Though her body shook for a second from sheer delight, her milk-chocolate eyes met his and she managed to speak out, "Yeah, I'd love to." All eyes were on her; it took her only a moment to notice her entire body was quaking like an earthquake had begun to rattle her insides.

"Mercedes, are you alright? Do you need to see the nurse?" Mr. Schuester asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little cold, but I'm fine."

"Here," Puck smiled, taking off his football jacket and placing it over her shoulders, "I'm kinda hot in it anyway."

On the opposite side of the room, Rachel and Kurt were nearly exploding in their seats. Hushed but exuberant whispers were being transferred back and forth. "Did you see that?!" "Yes, I know! Kurt...its working!" He stopped for a moment replied sarcastically, "But we didn't even lay out the first step of the plan before they fell into the trap." Rachel glanced over at Mercedes and almost read her mind, figuring out just how elated she was at having even just a piece of him touch her. "Well," she smiled, tossing back her ebony locks, "maybe it was just the right time."

The rest of the class was devoted mainly to learning the music and starting with a few simple steps. Mr. Schuester noted to himself how much fun the group seemed to be having, especially Rachel and Kurt. _Almost too much fun. _Those two were usually excited to come to rehearsal, but usually never this excited. Something was being undermined right under his nose, and he had to get to the bottom of it. "Take five everyone!" Students dispersed into their separate social groups; footballers and the so called "populars" toward the right side of the room, while your average glee kids sat toward the left-hand side. But in the middle, sat Rachel and Kurt, who continued to exchange hushed whispers. _What has gotten into those two? _Their gaze seemed to be locked on Mercedes, who appeared flushed and almost bewildered. Nothing that had happened today seemed to pop out at him, until he recalled, _The jacket! That's what's behind all of this. _

But before he could focus on it any longer, the bell rang and students dispersed into the hallway. Within moments, only Puck and Mercedes were left in the room. "I, um, guess you want your jacket back." Deep down inside her, she never wanted to let go and return his token. It smelled so much like him, a musky odor that seemed to drive her senses wild. But, if she did keep it, she realized, he would grow suspicious of her intentions, and a new "Slushie-War" could break out. "Nah," he stopped her and gently touched her wrist, "You can keep it till tomorrow. Its so hot in this school that it'd make me too sweaty for practice."

She nodded her head and proceeded to put it back on, when a silver chain slipped out of the pocket and clattered to the floor. His eyes grew wide as he dove for it, but Mercedes' hands had already reached it. "Hm?" Attached to the simple, metallic chain was a Star of David, gleaming in the mid-morning sunlight. "Its beautiful..." He nearly snatched it out of her hand, but Puck saw that her intentions were pure. She wouldn't mock him like any of the guys, or call him "Jew-Face" (AN: I love Jewish people :P). Her eyes just met the chain and grew wide, almost startled.

"I have one just like it," she murmured, pulling out a chain from behind her shirt, "Not many people know it, but I'm Jewish too."

"Really? I never would have guessed..." Puck stopped himself, not wanting to sound like a religious racist freak.

Before their exchange could continue any further, Mr. Schuester stepped into the doorframe and called, "Hey, you two! Get to class! The bell's going to ring in a minute, hurry up!" The two flashed a smile at each other before going their separate ways. And all the while, Mercedes clutched his Star of David and thought to herself, _Maybe it's just a match made in heaven. _

XXXXXX

Puck sat on the edge of his seat all throughout Spanish class, almost jittering in his place. _Snap out of it, she's just some chick. You score a chick every week like its no big deal. But...then she came along, and it made me almost feel, guilty. _While the teacher called out nonsense verbs like "to run" and "to fish", all he could focus on was the look on her face when she saw the Star of David. It was as if she had been looking for it all her life, and finally found what she had been looking for. _But she owns one, what would she want with mine? _A quick glance around the room, and the answer became apparent. Ohio was mainly a Protestant area, full of nutjobs who stopped at nothing to convert the non-believers. Many of his classmates were quiet Christians who sometimes poked fun at his beliefs, but he thought nothing of it.

But that gaze in her eyes, like she had found a missing puzzle piece, perplexed him. _Maybe she needed to find someone like her, who understood her. But Rachel's Jewish! Why wouldn't she turn to her? _Rachel wasn't usually the type of girl you could just go and relay secrets to, her lips flapped at any sound of a secret. _Then maybe it was pent up inside so long, it just let itself out through her eyes. _

Before he could ponder in any longer, a tap on his shoulder, from Kurt. He passed a single note, with writing along the top that read, "Someone likes you more than you think...open to find out who." His eyes shifted toward Kurt, almost in dagger like stares. "Dude, what the hell is this?" he whispered, making sure to avoid the stares of his teacher. Kurt leaned toward him, his eyes shifting, as if he had a secret he was dying to tell. "Let's just say, someone I know, and you know, have feelings stronger than you think." At the top of the page was his screen name with a short blurb next to it saying, "Once read, I have something else to tell you."

Puck opened the note, expecting nothing more than Kurt professing his love for him through a love note. But, it wasn't. It was a diary entry, his heart nearly stopped working. As his eyes scanned the page, Puck wanted to tear up the note and wonder what in the world had possessed Kurt to give this to him. However, he just crammed it into his backpack and continued to see the words flash in his mind. _I__f I were a princess, prince Puck would sweep me off my feet and say, "Princess Mercedes, I have always loved you, you are my everything._


End file.
